Opened the debate
Scamps argued that the allocation of public money for political advantage constitutes a serious lack of political integrity and damages public trust. Scamps cited evidence from the Grattan Institute and the Australia Institute to demonstrate that closed, non-competitive grant programs are prone to misuse and lack transparency. Scamps highlighted recent funding decisions under the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program and the Supporting Multicultural Communities Program, noting that these initiatives disproportionately benefited Labor electorates while excluding communities in her own seat. Scamps referenced historical examples, including the carpark and sports infrastructure controversies under the previous Coalition government, to illustrate that both major parties have engaged in similar practices. Scamps supported the Accountability of Grants, Investment Mandates and Use of Public Resources Amendment (End Pork Barrelling) Bill 2024, introduced by Dr Helen Haines, as a necessary framework to enforce merit-based criteria and eliminate ministerial discretion in grant allocations.